Processing facilities, such as manufacturing plants, chemical plants and oil refineries, are typically managed using process control systems. Valves, pumps, motors, heating/cooling devices, and other industrial equipment typically perform actions needed to process materials in the processing facilities. Among other functions, the process control systems often manage the use of the industrial equipment in the processing facilities.
In conventional process control systems, controllers are often used to control the operation of the industrial equipment in the processing facilities. The controllers can typically monitor the operation of the industrial equipment and/or the products or related materials through use of various sensors, and provide control signals to the industrial equipment based on information retrieved from the various sensors. However, control steps are often highly dependent upon measured or otherwise sensed data from the sensors, and inaccuracies or delays in receipt of the data can have a significant effect on the ability to control the process.
Wireless transmitters can be used with sensors to provide data from the processing facility to a remotely located processor for evaluation of the data. The wireless transmitters are generally rigidly connected to various processing devices to ensure the capture of the desired data. Under certain arrangements (e.g. structures and the like in the path of transmission) or environmental conditions, for a given transmitted power level the signal strength of the data signal received at the processor or other remote receiver can be or become insufficient for accurate evaluation of the data required for proper control. Moreover, in certain applications it may not be possible to increase the transmitted power level to compensate for poor received signal strength.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method for monitoring with a wireless transmitter that provides for accurate and timely transmission of data to a remote receiver. There is a further need for such a system and method that facilitates use of the monitoring system, such as positioning in difficult to reach locations. There is yet a further need for such a system and method that provides received transmissions with improved signal strength for a given transmitted power level.